about "no"

[jesson cui]

“strange as it seems, no amount of learning can cure stupidity, and higher education positively fortifies it.” ----Stephen vizinczey

could someone show me how to use "no" exactly? and can i rewrite this sentence "....amount of learning can not cure stupidiy..........."? many thanks.

[Shakespeare's brother]

Hi, your alternative is correct except that you must insert 'any' in front of 'amount'. 'No' is a relatively straightforward negation, and if you take the example 'no amount' has a clear face-value meaning, wouldn't you say?

[jesson cui]

hello, Shakespeare's brother. Shakespeare? oh my God........... anyway, many thanks for your help.

[David L.]

no amount of learning can cure stupidity
and
amount of learning can not cure stupidiy.


to use your rephrasing, and retain the meaning, you would need to write:
...all the learning in the world cannot cure stupidity.
(and then 'will not' would be far preferable to 'cannot')

Note also: (and I quote so I don't have to compose)
Both the one-word form 'cannot' and the two-word form 'can not' are acceptable, but cannot is far more common in all contexts. Indeed, 'can not' has come to be so unusual that it may be read as an error. The two-word form is advised only in a construction in which not is part of a set phrase, such as 'not only . . . but (also)': : Stevenson can not only sing well, but he paints brilliantly.

[jesson cui]

great!!